Rail-brace



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELBERT W. BRYANT AND SAMUEL KINKERTER, OF ITHAOA, MICHIGAN.

RAIL-BRACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 500,376, dated June 27, 1893.

Application filed May 23, 1892. Serial No 434,014.- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, ELBERT W. BRYANT and SAMUEL KINKERTER, citizens of the United States, residing at Ithaca, in the county of Gratiot and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Braces, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in rail braces, and the invention consists in the peculiar construction of a clamping plate designed to be applied to the rails, together with an adjustable brace extending between the rails to brace the same against turning or displacement either inward or outward, whereby the track may be stiffened upon curves and other places preventing possibility of accident from derailment, from spreading of the rails, all as more fully hereinafter described.

In the figure of the drawing we have shown our invention in vertical central, longitudinal section.

A represents a railroad tie, B the rails thereof, of known and usual construction. To each rail we secure a pair of'clamping plates each pair consisting of the complementary parts 0 and D. The plate D is provided with the jaw E and the plate 0 is provided with a corresponding jaw F adapted to clamp the bases of the rails. The two parts are clamped upon the rail by means of the clamping bolt G. The jaw F is provided with a recess H on its inner face connected with an aperture through which extends a bolt I. This bolt bears with its head against the inner side of the rail and extends to near the center of the space between the two rails, one from each side, the two bolts being connected by a turnbuckle or sleeve J which is interiorly screw threaded with right and left hand threads engaging corresponding threads on the end of the bolt whereby the proper tension may be given to the tie rod formed by these two bolts. This construction gives a simple and efiicient brace readily applied and removed and which will most effectually prevent any possibility of the rail spreading.

What we claim as our invention is- 1. In a rail brace, the combination with the rail, of separate clamping plates thereon having jaws clamping the bases of the rails, and a portion extending below the rail, bolts pass ing under the rail and connecting the lower portions of the clamping plates, cross bolts secured to the upper edge of the inner jaws having right and left screw threads at their ends and a turn buckle connecting the ends of said bolts substantially as described.

2. The combination with the rails of the clamps, composed of the blocks 0 and D having the clamping jaws E and F, the clamping bolt G, the recesses H formed in the inner face of the jaws F, the bolts 1 having their heads engaging in said recesses and extending through apertures in the jaws toward the center of the track provided with right and left screw threads at their ends and the turn-buckleJ correspondingly screw-threaded and engaging the ends of said bolts, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ELBERT W. BRYANT. SAMUEL KINKERTER.

Witnesses:

JOHN GLEDSTONE, FRANK MUNSON. 

